Powerless
by Darkness's Angel
Summary: She watches them laugh and talk, knowing that he holds her heart in his hands, and she can not do a single thing to get it back. Bluntly put, she is powerless.


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Powerless

Summary: She watches them laugh and talk, knowing that he holds her heart in his hands, and she can not do a single thing to get it back. Bluntly put, she is powerless.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

She sits there and wonders. Her quill scratches softly against the parchment, and her eyes focus in on her work, or at least that's what she wishes they would do. Yet, they keep drifting upwards towards a very visible person, a person whom they shouldn't be gazing so mindlessly at.

It wouldn't be right, she constantly tells herself. Her and him would never work, and he deserves this bit of happiness, after all that has happened in his life. She grits her teeth, and repeats those thoughts over and over in her mind. But it doesn't work, it never does.

Finally, with an annoyed sigh, she drops her quill on top of her paper, and moves her head up to look at him. His emerald green eyes are alive with laughter, and his mouth is twitched upwards in happiness. An arm is slung over the little redheaded, annoyingly evil, self-centered twit of a girlfriend.

She snorts in irony at this whole situation. Who would have thought he would have actually dated his best friend's younger sister? Who actually would have bloody thought that? But of course that's not the best part. The best part would be the fact that she, only the best friend, is in love with him.

Shaking her head, Hermione reaches out for her quill and begins to pick up where she left off on her Charms assignment that isn't due until next week. She makes her mind focus once again on her work. Though, every so often her eyes glance upwards, and linger a moment, or so longer on Harry's face.

Completely irritated at herself, Hermione stood up, gathered all her things, and headed out of the Gryffindor Common Room, slamming the portrait door closed. She took off towards the library in hopes that she might actually get to work without watching Hogwarts newly crowned Golden Couple.

It is just worse though. Instead of watching his every move, she sits there and thinks about him. Hermione silently questions exactly what it is he's doing, and why. She hates the fact that she likes him in _that _way. Her mind of course won't let her acknowledge that she is in love with him, for if that happens, then it'll actually be true, and she hates herself for that reason of loving him, even though she would not admit it to anyone.

Her hands move to form tight fists, and she marvels at the fact that no one has noticed anything different about her lately, especially Harry. But then again, he's been so wrapped up in Ginny to even notice anything else. Just lovely for her.

She muses about the time he told her of his new found feeling for Ginny, as if her in put of judgment would have meant anything. She had been studying for Potions that day, and Harry and Ron had been playing a game of Wizarding Chess, when Harry made the statement that he had something to tell them both.

He said that he had finally found someone he wanted to be with, and Ron teased him about his former girlfriend, Cho Chang, if you could even call her that. Then she had mistakenly asked who the girl was slightly hoping it was her.

He looked her straight in the eyes, and there was a feeling burning within his eyes. She unconsciously held her breathe, and waited patiently for his answer. That's when he said Ginny. She exhaled the breathe, and felt her heart shatter in her chest. She gave him a false smile, one that didn't even reach her eyes, and told him how sweet it was.

Of course she was lying, and that's when she noticed he had said nothing about her smile. Normally, he would be able to pick up on things like that, but this time, he didn't. She listened to the rest of the conversation between Harry and Ron, and commented here and there.

They barely noticed that she wasn't talking as much.

Harry and Ginny were together less than two days afterwards.

Ever since then, it felt as though the old trio was gone, only to be replaced with a new one, a one with out her. All of a sudden, she saw less and less of Harry. Ron was off with his new girlfriend, Luna Lovegood, so he wasn't around much either, and when the two boys were around, Ginny was always with them, and the three would start talking in their own little conversations, leaving Hermione feeling more alone than ever. Slowly, she felt as though she was becoming invisible, as though Ginny was taking her place.

Until, it got to the point where Hermione decided to distance herself from them. She couldn't take the begrudging pain that would burn within her chest every time she was around them. So, Hermione decided it was best to leave them alone, and throw herself into her studies.

Of course that was much easier said then done. She would observe Harry from afar, her eyes always drawn to him, even when she tried not to stare at him. Hermione knew that Harry wasn't the same boy that she had once known. Unlike her two dense counterparts, she saw how each one grew, how each one dealt with their emotions.

Hermione felt as though no one could see her, really see her anymore. She felt as though she was drowning in a pool of pain that she couldn't save herself from inevitably sinking into. Under different circumstances, she would have thought Harry or Ron would be there to save her, but not this time, this time she was by herself.

She looked around the library, and noticed she was the only one left. Checking the time, she realized it was almost curfew, and it would be wise for her to go back to her dormitory before Filch caught her out of bed, and gave her detention. With all her things in hand, she returned to the Gryffindor Tower, mumbled the password to the Fat Lady, and walked inside.

It was silent. Hermione noted that there were only a few students left lingering, one of them of course being Harry. Sighing, she went back over to her table, and sat down, hoping that she would get her essay finally finished.

Again her attention was drawn to Harry. For the first time she let herself acknowledge the fact that she was in love with her best friend. It made her feel warm and bubbly inside. Then the thought of Ginny made her heart break all over again, just like it had the day Harry told her he liked her.

She watched as Harry bid whom he was talking to goodnight, and walked up the stairs. She watched as he turned around once, catching her eye. He smiled softly at her, then turned back around, walking the rest of the way up.

Hermione sat there in a daze. It had hit her. No matter what she did, or said, no matter if she stopped talking to him, or moved on to another boy, or even left to go to another continent, a part of her would always love him. And no matter if he talked to her everyday, hugged her tightly, or even married Ginny, a little part of her would break because of him.

For he held her heart in his hands whether he wanted it or not, and Hermione was powerless to get it back.

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Author's Note - Another angst story to pass the time. =) Hope you all enjoyed it. Please review and let me know what you all thought. Also check out my other one-shots: Waiting, and Guilt - Harry/Hermione and Always Her - Lily/James.


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